Ratio of Plasma Alpha Amino- <i>n</i> -Butyric Acid to Leucine as an Empirical Marker of Alcoholism: Diagnostic Value

Abstract

The ratio of plasma alpha amino-n-butyric acid to leucine was raised in patients with both alcohol-related and nonalchol-related liver disease. This ratio appears to act as a relatively nonsensitive index of hepatocellular dysfunction rather than an index of alcoholism.